Category: neo-nomad

Well, the time is approaching when I fly to South America for four months. Next week in fact. Yep, four months… not too long a time, not too short a time. No real plans of yet … I stay in rio for a few days and head north. Loooking forward to it!!

Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: Cristo Redentor) is a large Art Deco-style statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands 38 m (125 feet) tall and is located at the peak of the 710-m (2330-foot) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park, overlooking the city.

As well as being a potent symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of the city, its open arms seen by many as a testament to the warmth of the Brazilian people.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brazil is not as dauting as I have been to Brazil before so I know what to expect .. fear. When I first landed, I spend the first 24 hours looking over my shoulder, keeping a grip on my bags etc but it passed. I stayed in a hostel called Jucati which was fine. They organised some cool tours to pre carnival gigs. Yet, by 9.00pm, every traveller was back at the hostel, drank on the steps and only left in groups of 5-10 people when heading out to hit the nightlife.

I wasnt robbed / mugged during my stay but alot of travellers were. Alot of it waspetty crime. Many had their watches, baseball hats and sunglasses stolen by kids, others had their gear stolen on the beach. There was no violence involved. Anyway, the hostel were paying off to local cops to park outside our hostel most of the day. They also hired off duty cops to join in on any tours to football games etc.

I hate associating Rio with crime but its on travellers minds. A local story by Associated Press may explain why!

Crimes spark tourism concerns in Brazil

By MICHAEL ASTOR, Associated Press WriterSat Aug 19, 3:32 AM ET

The murder of a 19-year-old Portuguese student on Copacabana beach and a rash of robberies have rekindled concerns about security in Brazil’s top tourist city, where authorities have tried several initiatives to make streets safer for visitors.

Andres Costa Ramos Bordalo was stabbed to death Monday by an assailant who stole his knapsack. Although police stepped up patrols, at least 22 tourists were robbed this week, police said Friday.

Bordalo’s daytime murder shocked many in Rio. The city has one of the world’s highest homicide rates, but violence rarely spill out of shantytowns. On Thursday morning, two knife-wielding men stole a video camera from a group of Chinese tourists. One of the men was punched in the face as he challenged the attackers, police said. The previous evening, six men on three motorcycles intercepted a tour van carrying 14 tourists from various nations. Two men armed with pistols boarded the van and drove the tourists around for 10 minutes, stealing their money, cameras and watches, police said.

“Rio is beautiful … but I’m never coming back here,” Ioland Jobert, 25, a South African who was aboard the van told the O Globo newspaper.Ricardo Anderoli, the chief of police for tourists, said he believed the van robbery was carried out by a gang specializing in car theft that has recently targeted tourists. Rio has an annual homicide rate of around 50 per 100,000 inhabitants. But officials say the crime rate in upscale neighborhoods is no worse than in other large cities like London or Rome.

One notable exception is the Copacabana beach district, the heart of Rio’s tourist district where some 40 percent of crimes against tourists occur, mostly holdups and purse snatchings. This week, three Colombian tourists were robbed at knifepoint on Copacabana. In recent years, state officials have beefed up police patrols, created a special tourist police department and deployed cameras along the beachfront in an attempt to reduce crime, but success has been limited. Last year, 2,737 tourists reported being robbed in the state.

On Wednesday, Rio de Janeiro state police chief Hudson de Aguiar Miranda offered to provide police escorts for tourist buses from the airport to downtown hotels, a drive that passes through some of the city’s most notorious shantytowns. But most tour operators reportedly turned the offer down, concerned that police escorts would only further frighten tourists.

Earlier this year, 33 British tourists were robbed at gunpoint after their bus was stopped on a highway from the airport to downtown Rio, but since then no similar incidents have been reported.

I have book my first three nights at a hostel called POUSADA FAVELINHA which is open around a year.

I like the idea thats its away from Copa and centro (the danger spots). The way I see it, theiefs are attracted to the places where tourists congregate .. mainly Copa.. and so a lot of tourist crime occures there. This hostel is somewhat ‘out of the way’ and only has room for 14 guests.

I read about the “Little Slum Inn” in Reuters during March.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) – Breathtaking views high above Rio de Janeiro’s beaches and mountains can be yours for just a few dollars a day — if you skip pricey hotels and sleep in a slum.

Rio’s slums, or favelas, are infamous for drug and gang violence. But a new hostel called “The Little Slum Inn” is attracting adventurous tourists, mainly from Germany, France and the United States, who dare to live amid the grit and poverty.

“This place isn’t for wimps. If you are uptight, you can go stay at the Copacabana Palace,” said co-owner and shantytown dweller Andreia Martins, 31, referring to the luxury beachfront hotel where the Rolling Stones stayed last month when they played a free concert for more than 1 million people.

You can only get to the jungle-covered hillside slum of Pereira da Silva on foot. Most of its 1,900 residents live in unpainted brick hovels they built themselves on irregular lots.

But the hostel owners say staying in the slum is safe. It has buried its violent past and gained a reputation as one of Rio’s calmest favelas since police killed a neighbourhood drug lord in a shootout seven years ago. A police squad also trains there, so gangs avoid the slum.

Residents of most of Rio’s 600 shantytowns are not so lucky. Thugs employed by drug traffickers walk narrow streets with AK-47 assault rifles on their shoulders. Bloody clashes with police and rival gangs are common. Slum dwellers who work long hours for low pay as maids or gas station attendants then have to come home to a slum where they risk getting caught in gunfights.

Martins’ clients at the Pousada Favelinha, as it is called in Portuguese, are tourists who pride themselves on avoiding glitzy tourist haunts and travelling off the beaten path to remote places like Laos and Cambodia.

Each room in the white, three-story inn has expansive terraces overlooking Rio’s bay and cosy furnishings.

A room with a double bed costs about $35 a night. It costs $15 a head to sleep in a large room for single backpackers.

Her neighbours like the inn because it brings money into the community. Martins is working with the community association to set up a free health clinic staffed by visiting foreign doctors. She employs two residents from the slum to run errands and clean and refers guests who like lots of beer to bars at the base of the hillside community. Martins says she is making decent money but complains of long hours.

Monday 30th of January 2006The departure of my flight was at 14:05 from Krakow and arrival at 15:40 at Gatwick. Teh full price of my ticket including taxes etc was 81.90 PLN. I was up around 9.00am and headed to the Milk Bar I saw in yesterday. I had soup, bread, biggas and a sprite for about 15 Z. Bargain.

Cloth Hall, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

Standing in the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), originally built as a covered market the present building dates from the mid-16th century, with some 19th century additions (the arched galleries down either side). It’s an attractive renaissance building that looks particularly impressive when lit-up at night. The ground floor of the Cloth Hall has now returned to its original function and now houses an impressive collection of market stalls selling all kinds of high-quality tourist tat, including amber, jewellery, hand-carved wood, and various other bits of arts and crafts. The arcades now mostly hold cafes. On the first floor is a department of Krakow’s National Museum, the Gallery of 19th Century Polish Painting and Sculpture, which holds some paintings by Poland’s best-known 19th century artist (within Poland at least) Jan Matejko. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cloth Hall, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

Standing in the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), originally built as a covered market the present building dates from the mid-16th century, with some 19th century additions (the arched galleries down either side). It’s an attractive renaissance building that looks particularly impressive when lit-up at night. The ground floor of the Cloth Hall has now returned to its original function and now houses an impressive collection of market stalls selling all kinds of high-quality tourist tat, including amber, jewellery, hand-carved wood, and various other bits of arts and crafts. The arcades now mostly hold cafes. On the first floor is a department of Krakow’s National Museum, the Gallery of 19th Century Polish Painting and Sculpture, which holds some paintings by Poland’s best-known 19th century artist (within Poland at least) Jan Matejko. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St Florian’s Gate, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

By 1500 Cracow was not only one of the richest cities in Europe but also one of the best fortified. The Old Town was ringed by a great wall, and this was punctuated by forty-seven towers and encircled by a moat. Immediately beyond this lay a further line of defense, comprising of a second wall and yet another moat. This outer wall was pierced by two barbicans, one of which, a splendid edifice, still survives. Owing to these formidable defenses, marauding armies were faced with a great dilemma. Much as they might wave the dismembered heads of those unlucky souls that had been caught beyond the city limits, more often than not they could not traverse the wall. Indeed, for a period of about two hundred years, Cracow was unbroken by foreign invasions.

In spite of its military purpose, the defensive wall was a thing of great character. This was not least because each tower differed from the next. They had their own idiosyncratic qualities – some were squat whilst others were lean and elegant. Furthermore, each tower belonged to one of the myriad guilds that had sprung up within the city. So, there was a cobblers’ tower, a saddlers’ tower, even a gunpowder makers’ tower. And responsibility for guarding the city lay not with a troop of Royal soldiers but with the merchants themselves. Each guild had its own tower and its own stretch of wall from which to keep an eye on things.

By the close of the eighteenth century several towers had collapsed whilst others were so dilapidated that trees were growing up out of their roofs. When the Austrians took over they decided to raze the complex to the ground. However, owing to the efforts of one Feliks Radwanski, a professor who was inspired by the patriotic and romantic associations of the fortifications, a campaign was launched to save them. They managed to salvage the most northerly section, which included four towers and a barbican. At the centre of this was St. Florian’s Gate, which is topped by the Furriers’ tower. This gateway is the historic entrance to the city, and the starting point of processions that hail back to ancient times. This route, which leads down Florianska street and on to Wawel, is known as the Royal Way.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I walked to the street where the girl at the hostel said the 192 passes. I was waiting for about 10 minutes and there was no seat to be had. A 2.70 Z ticket should do (purchased at most kioks and validated on the bus) but I purchased a 3,10 Z (billet Godzinny) just in case they pointed to my bag as an extra passenger and fine me. It happens alot in Prague, Slovakia and othr places. A big backpack means you should get an extra ticket. It took about 25 minutes to get there so I was there for noon for a 2.05pm flight. Dead early. It was very, very busy for such a small airport. All budget airlines.

I had to wait an hour to get checked in. Usually (even Ryanair) allows 10-12kg on ahnd luggage. While my bag was small enough, Central Wings only allows 4 kg as hand luggage. Jesus, a box of tissues would weigh that. I did not want to argue and had to check in my bag. I had purchased a bottle of water with my last bit of change so I just hung around until the flight. it was delayed 30 minutes which was a bummer. There is nothing to do at the airport. The duty free is as big as a toilet. No disstractions here. I waited around until it was time to head back. Alot of Polish people leaving to work in the UK. A lot of tears at the airport.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Former French film star turned animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot slammed Romania on Saturday for culling stray dogs after a Japanese man was bitten to death in Bucharest.

The capital’s mayor Adriean Videanu announced immediately after the incident last Sunday that the time stray dogs could be kept in shelters before being put down would be shortened. The 68-year-old Japanese businessman bled to death in central Bucharest after a stray dog bit him in the leg, severing a vital artery.

Foreign tourists often cite the packs of dogs roaming freely on the streets of Bucharest among the reasons they shy away from the capital of Romania, which plans to join the European Union as early as in 2007.

Dozens of people are bitten daily. Bucharest residents are split, some advocating culling and others feeding the stray dogs on the streets and building makeshift shelters for them. The 100,000 stray dogs in the capital are considered a legacy of former communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s decision to demolish many houses in the 1980s. Dogs were abandoned by people rehoused in small flats.

Overll, I really enjoyed my few weeks in Budapest, Romania and especially the Ukraine. I had done little planning before ahnd and I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful old Saxon fortified towns. Sibiu was my favourite spot, such a lively buzz around town.. certaintly a city looking ahead and forward looking. I can see why it will be joint European Capital of Culture in 2007. Cant fault the cheap costs as well. The Ukraine was also excellent, and I will make it abck there as soon as possible before their governement changes their minds about VISA Rules. If a pro-Russian governemtn gets abck in at the end of March, I can see the rules changing. No, overall, well worth it except for dowdy Budapest which is a summer destination.

I arrived at the new bus station at 6.45am (about 20 minutes early). I felt pretty tired, had no local currency and it was pitch dark and very cold outside. I decided to wait there until the sun started to shine so I stayed there until about 7.45am before walking through the train station and then onwards towards the royal mile.

The domestic bus terminal has now been moved to ul. Cystersów which lies east of the train station. It’s quite a journey into town so either get a cab or jump on tram number 4, 10, 15. International buses arrive and depart from ul. Bosacka (E-1). It’s right behind the train station, so just follow the signs wyj?cie do centrum.

It was Sunday morning, and and there were hardly a soul on the street except a few police men on patrol and a few cleaners. While I hadnt realised yet, there had been a terrible incident about 40 miles away in where 60-67 people had died. People were already going to churches to say a prayer.

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski. Several local legends are attached to St. Mary’s. The twin towers were allegedly the work of two brothers. The architect of the smaller tower murdered his brother, apparently jealous that his structure was shorter and less elaborate. Racked with guilt he then commited suicide by throwing himself off the roof of the cathedral. Nowadays the taller tower is home to one of Kraków’s most enduring traditions. The bugle call played on the turn of every hour apparently takes its origins from an event in 1241. Having spotted invading Tartar forces on the horizon, a lone fireman started playing his trumpet to alert the habitants of Kraków. He was shot with an arrow in his neck, abruptly cutting off the tune mid-melody, but the town was roused from its sleep and defended itself. In honour of this event, seven local firemen now have task of tooting the tune every hour. The first written mention of the tradition dates back to 1392, though a local magazine recently claimed the whole custom was invented by an American in 1929.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

After the Tartar invasions of the 13th century left the original church occupying this site in a heap of ruins, construction began on St. Mary’s using the existing foundations. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it, the altarpiece, stained glass windows of the nave, and blue, starred ceiling of this cathedral will take your breath away. The magnificent altarpiece was for 12 painstaking years the principal work of the 15th century German artist Veit Stoss (aka Wit Stwosz), and depicts the Virgin Mary’s Quietus among the apostles. Surrounding the altar are polychrome paintings by Matejko, Mehoffer and Wyspia?ski.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

SS Peter & Paul’s, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Kraków’s premier Jesuit Church was built in the early 1600s. The twelve disciples standing on the gates outside are its most striking feature, although the interior has been extensively renovated and the airy, austere grandeur of this late Renaissance building is now evident.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

SS Peter & Paul’s, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Kraków’s premier Jesuit Church was built in the early 1600s. The twelve disciples standing on the gates outside are its most striking feature, although the interior has been extensively renovated and the airy, austere grandeur of this late Renaissance building is now evident.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Main Square, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

The epicenter of tourist Krakow is the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square), one of Europe’s most impressive public spaces. he other free-standing building in the Rynek in the Town Hall Tower (Wieza Ratuszowa). The 70 metre high tower is all that remains of the old Town Hall, the rest of which was pulled down in the early 19th century. It could also be known as “The Leaning Tower of Krakow”, as it is apparently slightly crooked, although nowhere near to the same degree as the tower in Pisa. You can climb up the tower for views of the Rynek, but probably more interesting are the various exhibits inside, including a model of what the Town Hall looked like before they pulled it down, and old photographs of Krakow. In common with most other buildings in the Old Town the vaults underneath the tower have been converted into a cafe, although they once held the city’s jail. The clock-face on the tower looks pretty old, but the clock itself is linked to an ultra-accurate atomic clock in Germany (one of those that’s accurate to a fraction of a second every million years, which begs the question “How the hell do they know?”).

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Mian Square Scuplture, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Big Head …………….

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

A city forged in battle, war, conquest and fate, Krakow is in many respects the most Polish of all this great nation’s cities. The ancient seat of kings and intelligentsia comes steeped in legend and myth, and evokes the most fanciful of images, from dragons occupying the catacombs of Wawel, to Tartar hordes repelled at the gates, to an earnest Vladimir Lenin plotting revolution while sitting in the city’s cafes. Krakow’s history is the stuff of fantasy.

Back to the future. The budget flight boom confirms this nation’s transition from a country people are queueing to leave, to a country people are queueing to enter – the crowds that rotate around Wawel and fall out of the Irish pubs later on are all the evidence you need.

While much of Poland was left a heap of rubble at the end of WWII Krakow escaped wholesale destruction; a lightning fast pincer movement from the Red Army forcing the Nazi’s into flight before they had a chance to dynamite the city. Today Krakow’s dusty courtyards and web of streets are home to some 2.3 million registered artworks, and some of the most significant historical sites in the country.

If you’ve just got a day to spare (woe you) do your best to hit the highlights of Kraków. The old town is the sensible start point, and be sure to walk what is known as the Royal Road: starting at Floria?ska Gate make your way past the Sukiennice and St Mary’s Cathedral in the town square, and down ul. Grodzka where you will pass the church of St Peter and Paul.

The walk concludes at Wawel Castle: the defining landmark of the city, and in itself worthy of several hours of exploration. Just south of Wawel the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz is a must visit, and points of interest include the Old Synagogue and the Remuh Synagogue and cemetery. Those following the Jewish trail should also pay a visit to Oskar Schindler’s factory (soon to be opened as an art gallery) in the Podgórze district, as well as a taxi ride to wonder around the forlorn landscape that was once home to Plaszow labour camp.

Kraków is often referred too as Poland’s cultural capital and art highlights include the Czartoryski Museum (featuring Da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine) and the Wyspia?ski Museum. A visit to the Jagiellonian University Museum is a good way to spend a spare hour, while fans of Pope John Paul II should take a walk around his former residence, nowadays housing Archdiocesan Museum.

I had stayed in Nathans Villa Hostel before, and I knew how to get there by walking. Straight down past the castle etc. I was taking a few pictures so I did not arrive there at reception until 8.10am. I checked in with reception and put my bag in storage. I was cold and tired so i helped myself to cofee and 30-40 minutes on the free Internet they have. It was there I read about the accident in KATOWICE which killed over 60 people.

I went out to seek a Milk Bar – a Polish cafe that serves hot but cheap food. I found one and had Zurek (sour rye meal mash), followed the unofficial national dish, bigos (sauerkraut with pieces of meat and sausage) which was lovely. So lovely, to te big surprise of the waitress I ordered a second dish of it. Its just that after no sleep I was in need of a bit of food supplement. The bill came to about 20 Z – nothing really for a great meal.

I then spend a few hours checking out the Kazimierz district.

Walk Way just ouside Old town Walls, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Walking arounf the old town walls .. very peaceful Sunday…

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Walk Way just ouside Old town Walls, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Walking arounf the old town walls .. very peaceful Sunday…

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Kazimierz, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Kazimierz is the district that housed Krakow’s Jews for some 500 years. In the last decade it has been rediscovered, and its hollowed-out Jewish culture gradually reintroduced. Famous for its associations with Schindler and Spielberg, there’s more to the historic Jewish quarter than cemeteries and synagogues. Lying between shops selling buttons and spanners, you’ll find the heart of Krakow’s edgy, artistic character. Peeling façades and wooden shutters hide dozens of smoky cafes, each one effecting an air of pre-war timelessness. This is an area of Krakow that cannot be missed.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Kazimierz, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Kazimierz is the district that housed Krakow’s Jews for some 500 years. In the last decade it has been rediscovered, and its hollowed-out Jewish culture gradually reintroduced. Famous for its associations with Schindler and Spielberg, there’s more to the historic Jewish quarter than cemeteries and synagogues. Lying between shops selling buttons and spanners, you’ll find the heart of Krakow’s edgy, artistic character. Peeling façades and wooden shutters hide dozens of smoky cafes, each one effecting an air of pre-war timelessness. This is an area of Krakow that cannot be missed.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I also paid 7 Z to see Isaac Synagogue. I am not Jewish so these buildings and history do not resonate with me. I know the history but have no emotioanl connect.

Isaac’s Synagogue, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Isaac’s Synagogue, built in the Judaic-Baroque style, opened in 1644 and is the most beautiful of the Kazimierz synagogues. Renovation is not complete yet – holes in the floor show where the bimah and the stairs to the ark have yet to be placed. In the main prayer hall, a large television shows two black and white films over and over. Stills from the films are found in the adjacent room. Next, in the darkened room you can watch diverse other films depicting Jewish life before and during the war. Admission 7z?/6z?.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Isaac’s Synagogue, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 29th of January 2006

Isaac’s Synagogue, built in the Judaic-Baroque style, opened in 1644 and is the most beautiful of the Kazimierz synagogues. Renovation is not complete yet – holes in the floor show where the bimah and the stairs to the ark have yet to be placed. In the main prayer hall, a large television shows two black and white films over and over. Stills from the films are found in the adjacent room. Next, in the darkened room you can watch diverse other films depicting Jewish life before and during the war. Admission 7z?/6z?.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Angel in front of Wawel Hill, Krakow, Poland

Taken on the 30th of January 2006

For Poles Wawel is a symbol of national strength and patriotism; the ancient home of kings, and the material embodiment of Polish resistance and culture. It has certainly survived the vicissitudes of time – for instance, the castle came within a whisker of being flattened by the retreating Nazi’s. For foreign visitors Wawel is an unforgettable journey through the history of Poland. Perched on top of a 50m-high rock on the edge of old town, it is today remarkably intact and accessible to visitors, though in an effort to preserve the exhibits only a limited number of visitors are allowed to enter each day. To guarantee a place on the tours and to avoid standing in long queues, call the box office, tel. 422 16 97, and reserve tickets for the exhibits you want to see ahead of time. You’ll have to pick up your tickets at the Tourist Service Office (Biurze Obslugi Turystów) on Wawel Hill 15 minutes before your reserved tour time.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I went to the square and then walked around the town before heading back to the hostel. I had the whole 4 bunk bed dorm to myself in this clean, bright and warm room. Very nice hostel with its own bar downstairs. See pictures of the new bar in their website. I was talking to a guy who worked there for years (amybe owner) and said last year they got maybe 12 people a day stating in January but now its 25 a day and most weekends in Jan/Feb are booked out. He said alot of American students saying in europe (exchange students in Prague, Paris, Budapest) come for weekends.

It was 3Z for a pint of Zywiec beer (pivo) betwwen 5-7 so I had a few beers and talked to various peole who were coming and going. You also get a free shot of alcohol token when checking in. I could then use one of their many DVD’s to use in their dedicaated cinema with surround sound or join in in a free Polish language learning class. I stuck with the beer and atching Series 1 of “the office” with a few others. By the time we watched that and “lost in Translation” , I was pretty drunk and had an early enough night. I couldnt really get that film (the end anyway). At least I had my own room to relax in.

Saturday 28th of January 2006I was up early (around 9am) and breakfast was included in the price. There was nobody in the office, nobody to ask whether I could leave my bags there and no breakfast. I mentioned it to a German guy who lives in the apartment building (I had met him yesterday and he is aquainted with the hostel management). Ah well, I headed off and walked into town to buy a few things for some colleagues back home (a bottle of Voka and a few KG of Ukrainian Chocolates which are first class and which the country has a fine reputation for). It was Saturday and there were alot of street markets open. They ranged from Arts and Crafts inluding some great paintings to big sheds food of food/meat/fish vendors which was quite exciting. For breakfast, I headed into another dive of a place for a chicken dinner.

I then walked to the town hall in the main square. You can go there and buy a ticket to go to the top of the building to give upa birds eye view of the old city.

Rynok (Market)Square. The building of the City Hall was completed in 1835 after its predecessor collapsed in 1826. The clock tower is 65 m tall with 350 steps leading to its top. It is open for visitors presenting a stunning view of the entire city*. Houses on Rynok Square were built between 16th and 19th centuries in different stiles and survived several fires and remodeling. Most buildings have 3 windows on each floor. Only very rich owners could afford tax put on extra windows. Statues of mythological gods guard the square on each corner: Neptune – god of the sea among the Romans. Adonis – in Roman and Greek mythology god of nature and fertility. Diana – Roman goddess of the hunt and of the moon. Amphitrite – the ancient Greek goddess of the sea.

I took an elevator up and then a couple of flights of stairs which were old and narrow. When I got to the top, I got a blast of freezing cold air.Jesus, it was cold up there but you had great views of the city and surroundings. Its a very pretty town but alot of flat complexes on the outskirts, much like any other town or city in the former USSR.

Latin Cathedral of St. Mary, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the town hall

Latin Cathedral of St. Mary – its construction started in 1360 It combines gothic elements (the apse), Renaissance (chapels) and baroque (interior decor and statues). The Latin Cathedral owes its present look to the reconstruction of 1761-1776 by the architect Waclaw Sierakowski. The main altar of the Cathedral holds the sacred icon of the Holy Mary painted around 1598 (now a copy). The church organ was built in Lviv in 1839. Outside, at the site of the former cemetery, there is a beautiful Boim chapel, a mausoleum of the Boim family from Hungary. Built in 1609-1617, the chapel preserved its stone carved facade and interior.Another charming Chapel of the Kampians is attached to the Cathedral’s north wall.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the town hall

Ukrainean Flag on top of town hall.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the town hall

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the town hall

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the town hall

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

from there I walked to the High castle Hill:

The High Castle is the name of the highest hill (413 m) overlooking Lviv. In the 13th century the kings of Halych built a fortress at the High Castle Hill. With the spread of fire arms the significance of the fortress diminished and in 1704 it was conquered and ruined by the Swedish troops of Karl the XII. Since then the fortress at High Castle has never been rebuilt. The High Castle summit with the winding path is man-made in honor of Lublin Union of 1569 that united Poland and Lithuania into one state. The only remnant of the fortress is a part of its southern wall which is guarded by a stone 400 year old lion brought here in 1874. The broadcasting tower and the television center were added in 1957.

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006 from the top of the Castle Hill

Another (but different flag) Flag shot from Castle Hill.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

It took a good 30 minutes to get up there via a park but the views were excellent. Still, bitter cold…. I did not spend long up there and headed abck down to do a little sightseeing which included visiting the Remnants of the Golden Rose Synagogue.

Dominican Church, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church. The church interior has marble and alabaster tombstones and baroque carving. Eighteen wooden sculptures of the Dominican Order saints stand under the dome and four apostles stand at the main altar. The church is a venue for organ music concerts every Saturday and Sunday. A small organ used in these concerts was brought from another church that was under threat of destruction in the Soviet days. The Dominican Church was a museum of Religion and Atheism in the Soviet period with a Foucault’s pendulum hanging from the dome. Nowadays it functions as a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Dominican Church, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church. The church interior has marble and alabaster tombstones and baroque carving. Eighteen wooden sculptures of the Dominican Order saints stand under the dome and four apostles stand at the main altar. The church is a venue for organ music concerts every Saturday and Sunday. A small organ used in these concerts was brought from another church that was under threat of destruction in the Soviet days. The Dominican Church was a museum of Religion and Atheism in the Soviet period with a Foucault’s pendulum hanging from the dome. Nowadays it functions as a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Dominican Church, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church. The church interior has marble and alabaster tombstones and baroque carving. Eighteen wooden sculptures of the Dominican Order saints stand under the dome and four apostles stand at the main altar. The church is a venue for organ music concerts every Saturday and Sunday. A small organ used in these concerts was brought from another church that was under threat of destruction in the Soviet days. The Dominican Church was a museum of Religion and Atheism in the Soviet period with a Foucault’s pendulum hanging from the dome. Nowadays it functions as a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Dominican Church, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Dominican Church built in 1749 – 1764 in place of an earlier gothic church. The church interior has marble and alabaster tombstones and baroque carving. Eighteen wooden sculptures of the Dominican Order saints stand under the dome and four apostles stand at the main altar. The church is a venue for organ music concerts every Saturday and Sunday. A small organ used in these concerts was brought from another church that was under threat of destruction in the Soviet days. The Dominican Church was a museum of Religion and Atheism in the Soviet period with a Foucault’s pendulum hanging from the dome. Nowadays it functions as a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I walked abck towards the hostel to visit this site……

Golden Rose Synagogue Commemoration Sculpture, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Jewish people settled in Lviv from the early days of the city. Golden Rose was built in 1582. Jesuit monks claimed the land under the temple which resulted in a court trial that ended in favor of the Jews in 1606. In 1604 Golden Rose became the main synagogue of Lviv and the center of the Jewish community in Lviv. The temple was destroyed by German soldiers in WW2. The remains include the foundation, part of the northern wall with windows and partially western wall with the entrance.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Golden Rose Synagogue Commemoration Sculpture, L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

For a former Prime Minister of the Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko is a fine looking lady. So much so, websites like this one go through her “look” from decade to decade with pictures. Tymoshenko portrays herself as a tough-talking crusader, a passionate Ukrainian nationalist, and woman of the people who is on a mission to clean up the country’s morass of government and business corruption.

It has been an amazing transformation.

A decade ago, Tymoshenko had no nationalist credentials. In fact, she spoke no Ukrainian and had no more than a pragmatic interest in politics. A trained economist from the eastern city of Dnipropetrivsk, she used her connections to former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko to build a natural gas trading empire that made her the country’s richest businesswoman — until her ambitions ran up against the designs of President Leonid Kuchma. More information on her here , here and information on the lections which take place on March 26th 2006 can be found here.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

It was Saturday and there were at least 10 wedding parties flting about. They were in a queuw to take shots in fron of a religious monument on the main square. You would need to be well wrapped up today. Still nice to see. I am going to finish up with some various shots of the city.

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Taken of a church opposite the The Church of the Assumption. Dusk falls in brilliant sun light.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

The Church of the Assumption complex was constructed in the period between 1572 and 1629. The ensemble includes the bell tower with the largest bell in Lviv called Kyrylo. The tower was funded by Korniakt and was given his name. While the tower was built parishioners constructed the Chapel of Three Saints next to it. The chapel is richly decorated with stone carved interior and exterior. The Assumption Church repeats the shape of the smaller chapel with three typical Ukrainian domes. Large square blocks of stone were used for the church walls. Among founders of the church construction were Ukrainian community of Lviv, rulers of Moldova and Russian Tzars and the Ukrainian Cossack hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Taken of a church opposite the The Church of the Assumption. Dusk falls in brilliant sun light.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Congrats. Shes a looker…

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 28th of January 2006

Its all Dutch to me….

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I headed back to the hostel quite early … when it got dark as I had not much business left in town. When I got back, again no staff or guests. I actually went abck to bed for an hour. If I wanted too, I could have stayed an extra night free. No staff – Jayus, what a business. When is a hostel a hostel, just because they ahve three beds in a room? No staff, no maps, no advice, a broken TV but stiff, it was pretty good, clean and safe. ……… and they left my brekfast on the bed..yeah.. It might have been there 8 hours but I ate it including the cold coffee… It was very generous with sandwiches, sausages, bread etc. Ate the lot.

I gave the keys back to the building block reception (an old lady) and walked back into town to catch a 1 hy bus back to the bus station. I was mad early (an hour and a half)a nd the place was deserted. I had a few sips of volka from my flash and waited until 10pm which was departure time. There were no other buses left to go and at last a bus arrived. About 20 people were going so there were enough seats that people did not have to share. There was a German guy trying to invest int he Ukraine sitting in front of me and we spoke and we had an inquisitve Ukrainian girl behind me who also joined the conversation. We were quite a long time at the border, even though it was empty. Unlike my Romania to the Ukraine experince, which I stayed ont he bus, we all had to get off and take our bags into the main building. They gave up all customs declaration form to fill up (Which was in Ukranian) which the German guy and I did mot fill up. I was up early and I gave hime my passport. He just smiled, said hi and let me pass. They searched the bags of most of th other passengers.

They then let us stew there for an hour, doing nothing which was strange. it was 1am or so, in a big cold building with no staff. Fianlly we were allowed go through. After 5 minutes, we then gave up our passports which was another 30 minutes. Everybody got their passports back except me. I was worried that they stamped my entry forma nd not my actual passport when entering the country… but I finally got it back (dont know what the delay was… my passport is fully full with no spare pages and alot of stamps) and they stamped my passport.. so I have an exit stamp but no entry stamp. It was straight through Polish customs with no hassles.

Friday 27th of January 2006I arrived around 7.00am in Lviv. I said goodbye to the two Ukrainian girls who had offering me oranges and chocolate for breakfast. They also put away my bed sheets etc. I walked to the ticket counter to arrange a train ticket for tomorrow night to Krakow (Craacow) but she said the only train going on the 28th was a 7.00am train for 200 hy).

I thought it over but it would be better for me to take a night option. I would check the buses later. I went outside and had been advised on the Internet to take the number 66 maxi taxi bus.

It was just 1 hy for the bus ride and had read that my hostel would also be on this route. On the hostel website, they said get off after 15-20 minutes at the Khymychna stop but all bus stops are cyrillic so I missed it and went as far the end of the 66 bus route. I stayed on and came back. Once I saw spires etc, guessing that must be the old part of the city (town centre), I got off and explored the old town for about 3 hours. I tried the Tourist office but it was closed. from what I saw I liked. There was a lot of ice on the streets but it was been cleared away.

Lviv was once described as an undiscovered pearl of Europe. It has a very long history reflected in its architecture and way of life. Unlike many other cities of Ukraine, Lviv survived almost unscathed in WW2 and was spared by the Soviet government that left and preserved numerous architectural landmarks in the city.A visitor to Lviv could appreciate it as an old truly European city and at the same time could find so many reminders of the Soviet era. Everything east of Lviv, for thousands and thousands of miles all the way to the Pacific Ocean, is what so many westerners call Russia. West is Europe. So Lviv is a turning point – the last bastion of Europe before a vast expanse of the East.

I had printed out a map of the town from the hostel website showing where it was in relation to the town and opera house. Once I found the Opera building, I knew i was on the Main street, and I just had to walk along the Chornovola ave. till the crossroad with Khymychna street (15 min.). I knew when i reached there, the bus does pass it. Its where the Jewish Monument and garden is. From then on they are signs.

Youth Hostel ‘Afena’ is located in the center of Lviv, some 15 min. walk from the Opera and the Main street (Svobody Ave.) Youth Hostel ‘Afena’ is open all year-around. English-speaking reception is open daily from 9 am till 6 pm. Tourist information in English and Polish available. 24 hour check-in.

Once I went in, its an ordinary building block. Theres a bar inside beside the lobby and the hostel is on the 2nd floor but there was no one there. I went to the building attendant and he rang somebody. 20 minutes later a lady turned up. Its open all year but alot of flustering. Seems they dont get many guests. I paid 13 Euro for a single bed in a 4 bed dorm (normal beds). There was a TV but no wires or plug but nice external showers and a sink. I was tired but headed off a few minutes later. No lockers, no maps, no advice. You would not know it waa hostel, until they say it was. They gave me a key for the room. No other guests.

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Armenian Church from 1363 – 1370 and the church courtyard with surrounding buildings create a unique corner of Eastern architecture in Lviv. Armenians settled in Lviv from the 14th century coming mostly from their old capital city Ani. Armenian Church in Lviv combines Armenian exterior laid out as a cross-shaped Ukrainian church in its floor plan view. The interior contains frescos from the 13th – 15th centuries as well as more recent examples. The south courtyard is an old Armenian cemetery. On the wall of the building adjacent to the cemetery is a wood-carved chapel from 18th century. Eastern courtyard has a column of St. Christopher in honor to the the head of the Armenian Court who funded restoration of this Armenian Church in 1723.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Armenian Church from 1363 – 1370 and the church courtyard with surrounding buildings create a unique corner of Eastern architecture in Lviv. Armenians settled in Lviv from the 14th century coming mostly from their old capital city Ani. Armenian Church in Lviv combines Armenian exterior laid out as a cross-shaped Ukrainian church in its floor plan view. The interior contains frescos from the 13th – 15th centuries as well as more recent examples. The south courtyard is an old Armenian cemetery. On the wall of the building adjacent to the cemetery is a wood-carved chapel from 18th century. Eastern courtyard has a column of St. Christopher in honor to the the head of the Armenian Court who funded restoration of this Armenian Church in 1723.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Armenian Church from 1363 – 1370 and the church courtyard with surrounding buildings create a unique corner of Eastern architecture in Lviv. Armenians settled in Lviv from the 14th century coming mostly from their old capital city Ani. Armenian Church in Lviv combines Armenian exterior laid out as a cross-shaped Ukrainian church in its floor plan view. The interior contains frescos from the 13th – 15th centuries as well as more recent examples. The south courtyard is an old Armenian cemetery. On the wall of the building adjacent to the cemetery is a wood-carved chapel from 18th century. Eastern courtyard has a column of St. Christopher in honor to the the head of the Armenian Court who funded restoration of this Armenian Church in 1723.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

The Church of the Assumption complex was constructed in the period between 1572 and 1629. The ensemble includes the bell tower with the largest bell in Lviv called Kyrylo. The tower was funded by Korniakt and was given his name. While the tower was built parishioners constructed the Chapel of Three Saints next to it. The chapel is richly decorated with stone carved interior and exterior. The Assumption Church repeats the shape of the smaller chapel with three typical Ukrainian domes. Large square blocks of stone were used for the church walls. Among founders of the church construction were Ukrainian community of Lviv, rulers of Moldova and Russian Tzars and the Ukrainian Cossack hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

The Church of the Assumption complex was constructed in the period between 1572 and 1629. The ensemble includes the bell tower with the largest bell in Lviv called Kyrylo. The tower was funded by Korniakt and was given his name. While the tower was built parishioners constructed the Chapel of Three Saints next to it. The chapel is richly decorated with stone carved interior and exterior. The Assumption Church repeats the shape of the smaller chapel with three typical Ukrainian domes. Large square blocks of stone were used for the church walls. Among founders of the church construction were Ukrainian community of Lviv, rulers of Moldova and Russian Tzars and the Ukrainian Cossack hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

The Church of the Assumption complex was constructed in the period between 1572 and 1629. The ensemble includes the bell tower with the largest bell in Lviv called Kyrylo. The tower was funded by Korniakt and was given his name. While the tower was built parishioners constructed the Chapel of Three Saints next to it. The chapel is richly decorated with stone carved interior and exterior. The Assumption Church repeats the shape of the smaller chapel with three typical Ukrainian domes. Large square blocks of stone were used for the church walls. Among founders of the church construction were Ukrainian community of Lviv, rulers of Moldova and Russian Tzars and the Ukrainian Cossack hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Sculpture on the side of a building on the Blessed Virgin, Mary.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

The Church of the Assumption complex was constructed in the period between 1572 and 1629. The ensemble includes the bell tower with the largest bell in Lviv called Kyrylo. The tower was funded by Korniakt and was given his name. While the tower was built parishioners constructed the Chapel of Three Saints next to it. The chapel is richly decorated with stone carved interior and exterior. The Assumption Church repeats the shape of the smaller chapel with three typical Ukrainian domes. Large square blocks of stone were used for the church walls. Among founders of the church construction were Ukrainian community of Lviv, rulers of Moldova and Russian Tzars and the Ukrainian Cossack hetman Petro Sahaydachny.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Sculpture on the main street of Lviv called Prospekt Svobody (Freedom Avenue) near the Opera House.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Sculpture on the main street of Lviv called Prospekt Svobody (Freedom Avenue) near the Opera House.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Lviv Opera House (1895-1900). Construction was funded by the city government and from public donations. The Opera House was built on solid concrete foundation on top of the river which was diverted and enclosed in a stone tunnel. Statues on top represent: Glory in the middle, Genius of Drama and Comedy on the left and Genius of Music on the right. Statues of Comedy (left) and Tragedy (right) decorate the facade. Eight Muses stand over the main cornice. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, frescoes and sculptures. The ceiling in the lobby has 12 allegorical paintings associated with four seasons. The Hall or Mirrors can be reached from the 2nd floor of the lobby. The real jewel of the theater is the stage curtain Parnassus which is unrolled on first nights only.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Lviv Opera House (1895-1900). Construction was funded by the city government and from public donations. The Opera House was built on solid concrete foundation on top of the river which was diverted and enclosed in a stone tunnel. Statues on top represent: Glory in the middle, Genius of Drama and Comedy on the left and Genius of Music on the right. Statues of Comedy (left) and Tragedy (right) decorate the facade. Eight Muses stand over the main cornice. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, frescoes and sculptures. The ceiling in the lobby has 12 allegorical paintings associated with four seasons. The Hall or Mirrors can be reached from the 2nd floor of the lobby. The real jewel of the theater is the stage curtain Parnassus which is unrolled on first nights only.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Lviv Opera House (1895-1900). Construction was funded by the city government and from public donations. The Opera House was built on solid concrete foundation on top of the river which was diverted and enclosed in a stone tunnel. Statues on top represent: Glory in the middle, Genius of Drama and Comedy on the left and Genius of Music on the right. Statues of Comedy (left) and Tragedy (right) decorate the facade. Eight Muses stand over the main cornice. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, frescoes and sculptures. The ceiling in the lobby has 12 allegorical paintings associated with four seasons. The Hall or Mirrors can be reached from the 2nd floor of the lobby. The real jewel of the theater is the stage curtain Parnassus which is unrolled on first nights only.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

L’viv (Lviv), Ukraine

Taken on the 27th of January 2006

Lviv Opera House (1895-1900). Construction was funded by the city government and from public donations. The Opera House was built on solid concrete foundation on top of the river which was diverted and enclosed in a stone tunnel. Statues on top represent: Glory in the middle, Genius of Drama and Comedy on the left and Genius of Music on the right. Statues of Comedy (left) and Tragedy (right) decorate the facade. Eight Muses stand over the main cornice. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, frescoes and sculptures. The ceiling in the lobby has 12 allegorical paintings associated with four seasons. The Hall or Mirrors can be reached from the 2nd floor of the lobby. The real jewel of the theater is the stage curtain Parnassus which is unrolled on first nights only.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I walked back into town. The Lets go guidebook said the number 5 tram will take you to the bus station. I got on and paid my 1 hy. I went to both depots to the both ends of town aand no bloody station. I had wasted a lot of time looking for the Number 5 in the first place. Bloody guidebooks. I walked back into town and luckily the tourist office was now open. There was a german guy inside who was very helpful. He told me how to get to the bus station and I purchased a map for 2hy. Their website has good information.

I then took the 71 bus ( other buses will suffice including the 7, 7A, 37, 81 and 35). It took about 15-20 minutes to get to the station but its the last stop so thats cool. It was easy but a ticket to Krakow for tomorrow night. It cost 98 hy.

Lviv – Krakow: Taken from here. You can also check out times and book online at the Ukraine Bus Comapny. They spell Krakow – Krakiv online.

12.00 – 21.1019.50 – 05.00 (on even days)22.00 – 07.10

I found the cyrillic language in Ukraine difficult to translate especially menus as no english Translations existed. I had a couple of beers (I think I can order a beer in 102 different languages) but meal time was different. I was forced into a restaurant in a amrket place that served chicken only. I only had to get two points accross: (1) whether I wanted a full, half or quater chicken and (2) which part of the chicken i wanted (leg, breat, thight). I ordred a half chicken with bread, sauces and a drink for 20 hy. I went back to the hostela round 8.00pm for a shave and a shower and went abck into town. I didnt go out out, I should ahve as the women here are pretty damn beautiful but I had an early enough night. I actually slept like a log. Maybe I didnt sleep so good on the train last night.

I found some of the information on the main attractions on this site. If you need for information, try some of these pages.

I went to the bus station around 11am and spoke to one of the drivers. He walked me to the bus heading to the Ukraine and asked me whether I needed a VISA. Never was I so happy to see a battered bus take me out of this town. I purchased my ticket north to the Ukraine for 200,000 lei. The comapny was TASA Suceava. Remember you can not buy tickets from the sation, only from the bus driver. I was in the bus at noon, as I was sick of the town. I purchased breakfast (soup, bread) at a restuarant and got a few things like water for the bus journey. I had about 20,000 lei which I gave to a cripled young in his 20’s. looked like he was in a crash or something. His skull had been smashed and looked like some surgeon did do a great job in putting him abck together. Lots of beggars in town but not pushy.

I was happy to wait in the bus for an hour reading. i did not want to miss the bus. i just wanted to leave the town and was delighted to get going. there were about four other passengers. One thing is, the driver takes your passport for 20 minutes for some reason. I hate leaving it go, but he was a jolly, friendly guy. i got it back in one piece. Anyway, the need to leave town was of greater importance than my passport.

There were a few passengers picked up along the way. The Romania guards were cool. In all and this is no joke, I did not have to leave the bus to cross over. No bags were checked. No questions asked. A guard came, took everyones passport and asked me “How are you?” in a big smile as if he had been practising this line for weeks. I said I was good and asked him how he was. He was “good” too. The bus driver had given us immigration entry forms fot the Ukraine and had asked me if I needed a VISA. From last summer, I know we dont but immigraion is immigration. We got back our passports after 5 minutes. I had been stamped out. The bus driver gave all our passports to a female passenger to hand out. She gave a great show of it. Mr. Belrussia, Mr. Romania, Mr. Ireland!!!!”

We went about 2km to the ukraine side. Again, no hassles, no crowds. Just one guard came in and took the passports. One of the passengers asked the guard “You speak good English, yes” to a bemused border guard. Again, five minutes later, the passports came back but instead of stamping the passport, they stamped the exit part of the immigration card I filled up. I though this unusual, was worried and hoped I would not lose it before my exit.So I had company from the Ukraine border to the bus station in Chernivtsi. A guy in late 20’s came up from back of the bus to sit with me. We talked about everything and anything from Irish folk music to the forthcoming elections in the Ukraine. He has a LORD OF THE DANCE DVD with him…. We arrived about 3.00pm so its a pretty short hop from Romania proper. It was a busy bus station and I wasnt going to leave him go until I got a little tourist advice, but no worries as he wanted to be my guide for the evening. i had planned to stay here a night but because I was stuck in that blasted Suceava for 2 nights, I had to get a train north to L’viv (lviv) tonight.

The tram was just .50 downdown (the 293 tram). We were packed like sardines. We left our bags aat the station and he helped me buy a sleeper (2nd class) to Lviv. I think it was 15 hy. Very cheap.

We spend the next three hours exploring the city from the theatre to the university. At the university we had buns, sald and coffee. He had a Cd of Ukraiian folk music so he went into a shop to get me a copy. He also paid for tea in a restuarant with 20 hot dovuts each. No matter how much I protested that I wanted to pay, he was more adament that he pay. He was about the same age as me. He was leaning English from a 1985 Ukrainian un9versity book. I could not help but laugh.. They had case studies about African Americans going into American hotels and been refused service or a room. There were then questions about the case studies. The book was full of sterotypes and ant-American bias. He was a welder by trade and was happy to show me family photos and tell stories.

But christ, he would not let me put my hand in my pocket to pay for anything. Crazy. He had no access to phone or email, so we swapped addresses.

The Armenian Cathedral (1875), Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Chernivets’ka oblast’), is an oblast (province) in southwestern Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova. It has a large variety of landforms: the Carpathian Mountains and picturesque hills at the foot of the mountains gradually change to a broad plain situated between the Dniester and Prut rivers. Its capital city is Chernivtsi which has a population of 913,275. More information on the area can be found on Wikipedia and its official site.

Chernivtsi is a modern city filled with the thousands of faces of its citizens. In its beautiful natural setting are buildings of fine architecture, many sculpted monuments, green parks and inviting squares.

Chernivtsi continues to hold a prominent position among other Ukrainian and Eastern European cities. The city’s ancient beginnings and significant history add to its charm and attraction for those interested in the Bukovynian Region.

It’s said that in the beginning it was built as a fort at the southern border of the Halych-Volyn Knighthood on the left bank of the Prut River and was called CHERN or “a black town.” The use of the name was because of the black color of the fortress walls made of oak and for the dark rich, fertile surrounding soil.

The early fortress was completely destroyed by the Mongol conqueror Burundai and its citizens moved to the right bank of the river in autumn 1259. From 1359 the town became part of the Moldavian State.Golovna Street Photo

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

The Armenian Cathedral (1875),Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Besides separate buildings of the 15th-17th centuries, the architectural elements of the downtown have the most important historical and aesthetic value. First of all these are the former administrative buildings and some apartment houses built at the end of the 19th — beginning of the 20th centuries and the period between two world wars.

The major architectural styles are Viennese secession and neoclassicism filled with elements of baroque, late Gothic architecture, fragments of traditional Moldavian and Hungarian architecture, Roman-Byzantium style as well as cubism.

The most attractive pieces of the architectural styles are the buildings of Chernivtsi Drama Theatre (1905); Chernivtsi National University — former residence of the Bukovynian metropolitans (1882); Regional Museum of Fine Arts — former Bukovynian savings bank (1900); Regional Council — former Palace of Justice (1906); Chernivtsi Palace of Culture — former Jewish National House (1908); the apartment house in 53 Kobylianska St. (former German National House) and many others.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

University Building, Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Chernivets’ka oblast’), is an oblast (province) in southwestern Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

University Building, Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Chernivets’ka oblast’), is an oblast (province) in southwestern Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

University Building, Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

We had something to eat in this building .. University Canteen. It was pretty quite but nice meal.The most precious thing in the treasury of famous architectural monuments in Chernivtsi – are the buildings that currently house the Chernivtsi State University, a masterpiece made by the Czech architect Josef Hlavka in 1875. They were originally the former residence of the Bukovynian metropolitans. It’s Romanesque and Byzantine architecture is embellished with motifs of Ukrainian folk art, for example, the tile roof patterns duplicate the geometric designs of Ukrainian weavings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Opera/ Theatre House, Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Chernivets’ka oblast’), is an oblast (province) in southwestern Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

These plaques were embedded in the ground over the main park area. Not sure what they mean.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Taken on the 26th of January 2006

Russian tank that liberated the town during WW 2.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

It was now 8.00pm and my train was 8.50pm. We had a beer at the station and said our goodbyes. He really helped me out here and made my visit to Chernivtsi a memorable one.

There was a guard/attendant at each carriage entrance. She checked my ticket and it was easy to find my bunk bed. There were 2 girls there in this 6 bed compartment. Its open to the corridor. its best to get one on the ground as the bags can go underneath (like a drawer) which can only open if you lift up your bunk. That means no one can steal your stuff unless they move you off the bed.

The two girls (who were visiting their grandmother in Chernivtsi) were from Lviv and were good craic. They spoke a little English and one of them (the uglier of the two 🙂 ) kept smiling and staring. I though she was a bit touched in te head. Anyway, they kept offering me sweets, oranges and so on.

In the 6 beds next to us were five Ukrainians who were drunk as lords. They were playing cards but also ahd two bottles of vodka. One of them kept chatting the girls up. He was in his 60’s but whenever he got the chance slapped one of the girls on the arse and was making (I imagine) a few lewd statements. They took it in their stride. They kept asking – “Do you know what he just said?” in a bewildered look. I dont know what they expected me to do about it… defend their honour !!!!

The attendant came by and you rent fresh white sheets for you duvet, bed and pillow for 3 hy. I had a little drink of vodka and had a peaceful night in which I slept pretty soundly.

So I was back in Suceava around 3.00pm and tried the bus station for a bus to Chernivtsi in the Ukraine. There was only one piece of information on the whole of the world wide web and it said there were three buses a day. I went to the bus station and all they did was nearly clear me from the place. No luck what so ever. I did not know what to do as I had not planned to stay here at all. There is no bus service within the city .. just these maxi taxis that ply the city… They serve different routes and cost 10,000 lei which is pretty good value.

I had the guidebook “Lets go: Eastern Europe” which had little to no information on the town, no maps, no transport, no accomodaion etc. I had the address of the Class Hotel which I had picked up in the hostel in Sighoroara. After asking about a half a dozen people where the street was with no luck I had to get a taxi. I hadnt slept since 2 days back. I had walked around Hura for a full day in bitter cold with a 12kg backpack and I was wanted to see a bed.

I was horrified to find out that my destintion (the location of the hostel) was near the railway station where I had just come from. I could have taken a maxi-taxi back up for 10,000 lei. As the taxi meter ran up to 90,000 lei (about 5 minutes beyound the train station in the middle of no where) we reached the hostel. A lady came out and roared back for the taxi not to leave. She said to the taxi driver who had perfect English that the hostel would be closed until march. Feck….

What a fecking day. No sleep on the overnight train, 5km walk from Hura into town, bitter cold, no bus to Chernivtsi, having to take my first taxi during my trip (against my unwritten rules) and now this. No place to stay in the middle of nowhere in the cold and it was getting dark. The lady at the so called hostel told the taxi driver her sister owned a Bed and Breakfast but it would cost 500,000 lei. I had little choice. What else could I do. I would have to pay for another taxi ride there.

So I get back in the taxi, and I am pissd off. He has good english so we chat. We is self emplyed taxi driver and likes to travel. He learned his English off the television. About 20 minutes later we get to the Bed and Breakfast. I ask him how much expecting the worse and he says “no charge”. I cant believe it – a taxi driver not charging. She knows I am a student, have had a tough day and as he is self employed, its his choice. I thank him.

Leaganul Bucovinei is a 3 star Bed & Breakfast in Suceava, Bukovina. It is situated in the green, residential area at the exit of Suceava (towards Bucharest). The rooms are fully fitted at modern standards, with en-suite bathroom. The coziness and silence of the area, the proximity to the town (5 minutes walk) as well as the excellent positioning towards access routes are our key success factors to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

What can I say. I am showed a room by a very greasy, very shifty looking character. He says it costs 800,000 lei. I look shocked and say I went to the hostel, spend 200,000 lei on taxis (I lied, sorry) and now he wants 800,000 lei after the day I had. He recognises I am pissed off and he shows me a smaller room for 700,000 lei. I haggle him down to 600,000 lei but he wants me to pay him right then and now, with my backpack on. I pratically kick him out of the room. I am exhausted and as soon as I lie down, I fall asleep.

I went down to the fecker around 8.00pm and paid him. He also demands my passport which he keeps to my dislike. I have to eat and order soup, bread and chicken. After a terrible meal, he comes out with the bill. He has charged me twice for bread and has doubled the price of the chicken meal (as stated in the menu). He said it was heavier than advertised on the menu. This was a packet of frozen out of the packet grilled chicken with undercooked chips. Lousy chicken at that. I demand the menu and checked it off against the bill. I paid him for what I ordered and nothing more and no tip. He just laughts and smiles. What an absolute prick. I dont hate many people, but at that moment I hate this guy with a vengeance.

I go up, have a shower and go to sleep. I want to leave this town first light tomorrow.

Thursday 25th of January 2006I was up around 9.00am and took a maxi taxi into town. I went to the train station with my little map of Romnania and the ukraine with a few sentenses written underneath the page saying I wanted transport (bus – autobus or train – trenul) to Chernivtsi / Cernivci in the Republica Ucraina. I had no idea what she was saying (like yesterday). She was shaking her head and pointing out the door. No help. I pleaded with all and sundry without help. Blank stares.

Suceava, Romania

Taken on the 25th of January 2006

In the past few years Suceava started to evolve more rapidly, but even so it remains a small, dreary city. Tourists can visit the Museum of History, Hanul Domnesc, Cetatea de Scaun (fortress), Muzeul Satului, the Planetarium, the Museum of Natural Science and, in the vicinity of the city, a few monasteries, lakes, woods and the floral reservation of Bosanci. The Saint George’s Church of Suceava is one of the seven Painted churches of northern Moldavia included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are also a few hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars in the city (mostly in the center area), but in Suceava there is no

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Suceava, Romania

Taken on the 25th of January 2006

The city is located in the north-eastern Romania with a population of about 100,000. The name is of Hungarian origin, being derived from Szucsvar which means “Town on the skin-workers”, this etymology being given in Dimitrie Cantemir’s Descriptio Moldaviae. The city of Suceava was the capital of the first centralized stat of Moldavia (between 1359 and 1565) under the rule of Bogdan I, Petru Musat and Stefan cel Mare. At the end of World War I Suceava became part of Greater Romania along with the rest of Bukovina.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I headed to a few travel agencies without success (they tried to be helpful) until I went to the Agencie de Voyages. The lady in there said the VOG 19 train from bucharest to Moscow via Kiev passd the station around 13.37pm. I thanked her and headed straight to the station with a maxitaxi number 1 costing 10,000 lei. I asked the information person there (no English) about it. She saw the Vog 19 and said it passed between 13.19 and 13.34. After alot of misunderstandings, you have to wave down the train or it stops for a few minutes. It has no definite time of arrival and you can not buy a ticket until you board the train. It was all very stressful. I waited at that station in the cold from noon until 2.00pm. There was no bloody Russian made train with international amrkings passing. I went back and forth to the information desk. He was getting nowhere and I was fed up. i waited there until 4.00pm. Feck, arse. I was a little mad. From further investigation after this trip was completed, the train does not pass every day…..

I walked to the maxi taxi (10,000 lei) number 1 and went to te bus station, wanting to take any bus in any direction but hopefully Budapest that every evening. I did not care that I didnt want to go back there and my flight was out of Poland – Krakow. I tried a few international bus offices and all they had was Germany, austria, Italy (i was VERY tempted). All the buses to Cluj on the way to budapest (and where there are buses running all night to budapest) had finished and I just wanted to get back to Budapest (and change my flight home from Krakow to Budapest). I wanted to save a nights accommodation and take the 10pm bus to budapest and then catch a train to Budapest or Krakow from there – which would have cost an arm and a leg. Bummer, feck it all.

I decided to walk down town and get my first bite to eat all day. I had my backback on all day as well. It was now about 5.00pm and I passed Hotel Suceava on the main street. I decided to head in and check about buses to Budapest and there is a travel agency in there as well. There was a guy in there called Stefan who spoke perfect english because he had studied engineering in England. He calmed me down and sat me down. He ran the bus and train stations for me. Spoke to them and said there was without a doubt a bus from the bus station at 1pm every day. You could not buy this ticket in the bus station but from the bus driver from noon on. He reassured me and we chatted. He spoke up for Suceava and recommended a few places to stay. Thank god I met this guy, or I would be walked back to Ireland.

I had the brochure from a Bed and Breakfast called Villa Alice given to me by Stevan from the travel agency within the hotel. it was slightly more expensive than the Bed and Breakfast I had stayed in last night, but I wasnt going back to that place. Too far away and he was a greasy unlikeable man that owned it. I got pretty lost in trying to find Villa Alice. i was walking for about 40 minutes. I finally asked a lady on the street. Again, she spoke French but no English, but she was very kind. She walked me the 10 minutes to the accommodation door. Very kind of her and we had a nice conversation about the places I had been.

When I entered, the guy said he had no single rooms for 699,000 left but after telling him I would simply go to the Hotel Suceava for the same price, suddedly a room became avaialble. Bullshitter!

The room was small, but I was tired and cold from a day doing nothing- sitting at the bloody train station, walking around with my backpack all day long. I had a shower and cut my hair, my nails and watched some romanian folk music on the TV.

I let around 9.00pm to find some place to eat. I finally found (only a few places here) a small street with 4/5 fast food’ish type places. I walked in and ordered basically was 1/2 a chicken, salad, chips and bread for 145,000 lei. Two nice girls (sisters) worked there and we spoke a while.

I walked a few minutes to a cosmo modern bar called “gang” which the travel agncy guy had recommended. Very nice, very civilized. Probably too civilized for a guy like me who likes his spit and sawdust bars. I had a pretty early night.

Wednesday 24th of January 2006I arrived to Suceava at about 7.00am in the morning. I wasn’t very impressed my the cold. it was bitter. I mean I did not want to leave the cold train. Without doubt, the coldest day since I stated this trip. Vey countryish town, in that most people were rough looking (in a rural sense – wearing wellingtons). My first impression was a farming area. I headed straight to the ticket counter and asked for a ticket to Gura Humorului. Gura humorului is located 17 km from suceava.

No problem – just 35,000 lei. One thing was it said: Gura Humorului Ostrad on the ticket. i thought that was a staion outside of town – past the main station. I did not have long to wait for the train which are quite frequent. It was a cold journey and I wondered whether I should stay in Suceava for not. An hour passed and I was a station called Gura Humorului and I mistakenly got off. It was the middle of nowhere. Just one bulding in the middle of the countryside. no town, nada. It took me 10 minutes walking past a timber factory before I got to a road. Left or right. Left or right.

Mistake number 2: I went left for about 2km and I asked directions at a service station. They pointed back where I came from. Now, I had not minded the cold up until now. I rather enjoyed the change in temperatures and the picturesque snow, but I was frozen. I had never been so cold in my life.. even with gloves, balaclava, good coat etc.I had no feeling in my right thumb and my toes felt like blocks of nice. I had two pairs of pants on, two pairs of socks. Every time I breated out ice appeared on the balaclava. The hair within my nostrils had frozen. Seriously, I felt my nose block up with ice.

I turned back the way I came and tryed to hitch a lift into town without any luck. Its a smallish towna nd there wasnt much traffic that time of the morning. On my way abck in .. about 3km… I came accross 2 different fields full of garden gnomes (gnomes). I think they were pointed towards a Manger (where Christ was laid after birth). I am unsure. I only took a few shots asmy hands and fingers were too numb to press the shutter.

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

he first garden gnomes were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.

Garden gnomes have become a popular accessory in many gardens, although they are not loved by all. They are often the target of pranks: people have been known to return garden gnomes “to the wild”, most notably France’s “Front de Liberation des Nains de Jardins” and Italy’s “MALAG” (Garden Gnome Liberation Front). Some kidnapped garden gnomes have been sent on trips around the world (the travelling gnome prank).

A sub-culture exists among those who collect garden gnomes, which is frequently lampooned in popular culture.

Garden gnomes were made in various poses and pursuing various pastimes, such as fishing or gardening. More recently, garden gnomes have been depicted indulging in indecent exposure or having sex.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

The first garden gnomes were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

The first garden gnomes were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.

Maybe the knomes were rescued. The Garden Gnome Liberation Fronts (GGLF) are organizations that stand for the liberation of garden gnomes. The most famous is the Front de Libération des Nains de Jardin (based in France), the creator of the world movement. Another famous and important group is the Movimento Autonomo per la Liberazione delle Anime da Giardino (based in Italy) the most organized and impressive organization. They claim a better place than a small garden for the garden gnomes, hoping a coming back to the Nature and the magic world of the wood. The European Gnome Sanctuary in Barga,Tuscany, Italy (open since 1999) has been a place of refuge for all freedom loving gnomes.

I continue on my walk frozen and once I got close to town I popped into a cafe for a hot chocolate for 8,000 lei. I at down and warmed up. I then continued into town. It seems the painted churches in this district atract alot of tourists during the summer. I got this advice from Alex on Virtual tourist Forum..

“First, Bucovina is the name of the region the monasteries lie in, Suceava is the name of a city there. A few of the monasteries can be visited on the cheap by using public transportation: take a train (a few trains a day) from Suceava towards Cluj or vice versa and get off at Gura Humorului. In front of the railway station there usually are independent (i.e. not working for a travel agency and often cheaper) drivers which organize tours to the monasteries. You can ask them for a tour and see what the price is. If it is too high, walk straight until you meet the main road. To the left, 5 minutes later you will meet a signpost showing the way to Voronet Monastery (4 km.). If – from the point where you met the main road from the station – you turn right, after 10 minutes you will reach the centre of the town; just from the small square in front of the Best Western there is a signpost showing the way to the left to Humor Monastery (6 km.). After visiting these two (of which Voronet is more interesting, take it as a personal point of view), you can also visit Moldovita Monastery; on the same Cluj – Suceava railway, take a train and get off at Vama (West of Gura Humorului), change for a local bogie and go to Vatra Moldovitei, where you can visit Moldovita Monastery; mind you there are only a couple of trains a day between Moldovita and Vama; from Moldovita there is a single early morning bus farther to Sucevita, possibly the most beautiful of them all, but you can also try to hitch-hike. Apart from these monasteries, you can also go to the less visited by foreigners, but nevertheless beautiful and a Mecca for Romanians given its history, to Putna Monastery, by local train from Suceava. Logistically speaking, I would go to Suceava, then from there to Putna, back to Suceava, on to Gura Humorului with the side trips to Humor and Voronet, then on to Vama and to Moldovita, then back and on to Cluj / Maramures, depending on your schedule.

Generally, time and effort-wise, I would pick Putna (as something different, even though not painted on the outside like the others), Voronet and Moldovita, with the possibility of also going to Sucevita hitching or by the 7 AM bus.

You can find a map of the area here. The town has a population of 15,837. According to a Wikipedia article the turning point in the town’s history was the disastrous fire of May 11, 1899 which destroyed most of the town – more than 400 houses, including many Jewish businesses and homes.

I walked into town and then walked straight out the other side over the bridge in order to walk to Voronet Monastery (4 km.) I hitched a car and got a lift. Nice guy but I read some place even if you get a lift in Romania you are still expected to pay 50% of what you would ahve paid by either bus or taxi so at the end of the journey, he asked for 10,000 lei. He did in a funny, kind way and with a laugh explaining the cost of petrola nd how much it would ahve cost by taxi. I was happy to give it in this cold. anyway this monastry is pretty famous and even has its own Romanian Stamp.

Vorone? is a monastery in Romania, found near the town of Gura Humorului. It is one of the famous painted monasteries, found in southern Bucovina, now in the povince of Suceava, close to the border with Moldova. Often known as the “Sistine Chapel of the East”, the frescos at Vorone? feature an intense shade of blue known in Romania as “Vorone? blue”.The monastery was established in 1488, with St. George the Martyr as its patron saint. The exterior paintings were made in 1547. It remained a working monastery until the start of Habsburg rule in 1785, and only became a religious retreat again after the fall of communism in 1991. The tomb of the monastery’s first abbot, St. Pious Daniil the Hermit is found at the monastery.

Voronet Monastery, Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

y the will of a Gracious God, through the prayers of Sf. Pious Daniil the Hermit and the zeal of the good and faithful Voievode (Prince) Stephen the Great, the Voronet Monastery was raised up, between the 26th of May and the 14th of September in the year 1488, with St. George the Martyr as its patron saint.

In 1547, under the supervision of the Metropolitan bishop Grigore Rosca (whose tomb can now be found here), the porch was added and all the exterior paintings were carried out. From the very beginning of its history, the monastery was blessed with montks of extremely high spiritual calibre, and in the time of St. Pious Daniil the Hermit it was a true example of Romanian hermitage. Monastic life at Voronet was interrupted in 1785 due to the annexation of Bucovina to the Hapsburg Empire, and it became a working monastery again only in 1991, with the arrival of a community of nuns. Under the abbacy of their Mother Superior Irina Pantescu, this new community strives to harmoniously combine a religious life of prayer and workship with housekeeping and farm work, running a painting workshop and provinding guided tours of the monastery for visitors.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Voronet Monastery, Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Voronet is considered by many to be the “Sistine Chapel of the East”, due to the magnificient frescoes on the west wall, a representation of the “Last Judgement”. In addition, “Voronet Blue” has been added to the lexicon of art alongside colours such as the “Titan Ted” of Rubens and “VeroneseGreen”, by specialists who consider it unique. On this blue background can be found the “Tree of Jesse”, or the genealogy of Redeemer Jesus Christ. Greco-latin philosophers are depiected in the borders to the left and right: Aristotle and Plato being amongst the better known philosophers that can be found there, and to the side on the apse the eye is drawn to a beautiful representation of St. Onufrie The Hermit.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Voronet Monastery, Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

The paintings in the porch represent the Christian Orthodox Calendar. Many of the icons here bear graffiti-names and scratches- the scars that remain after the 206 years of the monastery„s disuse. Above the entrance, in the narthex, lies a superb icon – “Dulcea Imbratisare” (the Sweet Embrace”) and directly above it, an inscription in stone names the monastery„s founded and the date it was raised.

The tomb of St. Pious Daniil the Hermit, who became the first Abbot of Voronet monastery can also be found in the narthex, watched over by a burning flame.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Voronet Monastery, Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

The paintings in the porch represent the Christian Orthodox Calendar. Many of the icons here bear graffiti-names and scratches- the scars that remain after the 206 years of the monastery„s disuse. Above the entrance, in the narthex, lies a superb icon – “Dulcea Imbratisare” (the Sweet Embrace”) and directly above it, an inscription in stone names the monastery„s founded and the date it was raised.

The tomb of St. Pious Daniil the Hermit, who became the first Abbot of Voronet monastery can also be found in the narthex, watched over by a burning flame.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Voronet Monastery, Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

mong the most picturesque treasures of Romania are the painted churches located in Bucovina, many of which are protected by UNESCO as part of humankind’s world heritage.

These richly decorated houses of worship are “albums” of fresco art that have survived the elements since the 15th century. The Voronet Monastery Church in Bucovina, founded in 1488 by Stephen the Great, is widely known throughout Europe as “the Sistine Chapel of the East,” because of its interior and exterior wall pa intings, which offer an abundance of blue-chromatic frescoes featuring a color that has come to be known as Voronet blue. The frescoes of this church and many other painted churches in the Bucovina region illustrate biblical scenes, prayers, episodes of sacred hymns and themes such as The Last Judgment and The Ladder of St. John, all variously featuring the colorful and detail-rich imagery of apostles, evangelists, philosophers, martyrs, angels and demons. Beside their vivid frescoes the painted monasteries are famous for the original way of depicting beliefs or events: Sucevita with its unique ?Ladder of Virtue?; Humor, featuring the devil amusingly depicted as a woman, and Moldovita, where a monumental scene of the Siege of Constantinopole is displayed.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I did not have to pay any entrance. The door on the exterior wall was open. There was a shop and reception inside which was also empty. i think it may be 50,000 and another 25,000 if you have a camera. I walked around the site, feeling a bit guilty about walking in unannounced. i was the only person there. after 20 minutes, I simply walked out again. Noone there.

I found a new article in the Washington Post about the monastries. Hee are exerpts:

Afterward, we drove the few miles south to Voronet, the oldest of the monasteries. It has been dubbed the “Sistine Chapel of the East,” and the comparison does Michelangelo credit. Swathed in a satiny indigo known as “Voronet blue,” it was the most beautiful church I’d ever seen.

The famous blue derives from lapis lazuli stones imported from Egypt, explained Slemco, whom we’d hired for our last day in Bucovina. As with the other monasteries, the formula for creating the exterior colors died with the painters, so the frescoes can never be repainted — when a piece fades or flakes off, it is gone.

Slemco talked us through the Orthodox calendar painted just inside the entryway. He showed us the altar with its icon of God holding a Moldavian scarf, representing the universe. With the skies darkening, he hurried me to the west wall to show me the “Last Judgment,” Voronet’s — and Bucovina’s — masterwork.

All the monasteries have apocalypse frescoes, but Voronet’s is the most overwhelming, and seemingly the one designed to elicit the fiercest identification from its intended audience of peasants and warriors. Angels sound the final call on a bucium, a local shepherd’s horn, and send turban-headed sinners tumbling toward a beastly Satan. The apostles watch from a grandstand of Romanian thrones as Jesus weighs souls, with Turks and Tatars prominent among those awaiting judgment. Everybody gets a shot at salvation, Slemco said, describing this image as an olive branch extended to unbelievers and enemies of the state.”

Anyway, I walked back into town – another cold 4km and tried to find the real railway station … without success. i even followed the lines. Where was the bloody thing. I then walked out at least 6km to what I felt was the road to Humor Monasry – no luck and I got lost but it was enjoyable. Men spread waste on horse and cart, women washed clothes in the field by ahnd. Very absic rural life here. I then saw a sight I will never forget. Three horse and carrts were on the way up the road towards me. I wish I took out my camera or had a cmcorder. There was no driver on the first and second horse and cart. The horses simply went by dragging their loads. On the 3rd cart, 3 people were laid out in the back. Two were drinking heavily, the third slumped out ont he back. Totally wasted. It was amazing!!

Anyway, i headed abck into towna nd took a few snaps!!

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Drive through the scenic Prislop Pass to Bucovina, the land of the famous painted churches and monasteries and pristine landscapes. On the way to Gura Humorului town, admire the superb wooden architecture of the Barsana Monastery and the 18th century Rozavlea wooden church, with its beautifully preserved interior paintings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Drive through the scenic Prislop Pass to Bucovina, the land of the famous painted churches and monasteries and pristine landscapes. On the way to Gura Humorului town, admire the superb wooden architecture of the Barsana Monastery and the 18th century Rozavlea wooden church, with its beautifully preserved interior paintings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Drive through the scenic Prislop Pass to Bucovina, the land of the famous painted churches and monasteries and pristine landscapes. On the way to Gura Humorului town, admire the superb wooden architecture of the Barsana Monastery and the 18th century Rozavlea wooden church, with its beautifully preserved interior paintings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Drive through the scenic Prislop Pass to Bucovina, the land of the famous painted churches and monasteries and pristine landscapes. On the way to Gura Humorului town, admire the superb wooden architecture of the Barsana Monastery and the 18th century Rozavlea wooden church, with its beautifully preserved interior paintings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Yes, I was bloody cold!!

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

No horse and carts allowed!!

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Gura Humorului, Romania

Taken on the 24th of January 2006

Drive through the scenic Prislop Pass to Bucovina, the land of the famous painted churches and monasteries and pristine landscapes. On the way to Gura Humorului town, admire the superb wooden architecture of the Barsana Monastery and the 18th century Rozavlea wooden church, with its beautifully preserved interior paintings.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

When i got back to town from my lost wandering, I tried to find a place to eat when sudendly I saw a train come into town. I basically ran after it until I found the elusive train station hidden behind houses. When I saw the train I followed it and there it was behind a big fense and row of houses – the railway station. The train was just about to go and I didnt have a ticket, but the conductor just told me to get on. Gura Humorului was fine if you just after the churches and a little bit of rural life. The place is full of places to stay – I mean over a hundred pensions at least. So off I went back to Suceava.

Monday 23rd of January 2006I was up around 8.30am. I had a pretty good nights sleep and most of the people in the room (Americans) were heading off down south to Belgrade. I had a free coffee in the kitchen and enjoyed the nice views they have from there. I checked out and left my bag in the TV room. There are no lockers anyway in this place. No locks, no doors – very few facilities at all.

Time then to make the short journey to the craggily picturesque castle of Bran, reputedly Dracula’s home. Which sounds more like it … until it becomes clear not only that the vampire count never existed, which one probably suspected, but that he wasn’t even based, however remotely, on anyone who did. Sure, he shares his name with a medieval Wallachian warlord called Vlad Dracul (“Vlad the Devil”), but the blood-sucking nobleman of 19th-century Transylvania is a fictional figure, conjured up in 1897 from the imagination of the Irish actor-manager Bram Stoker.

I was a bit sleepy and took the wrong bus from the sqaure to the bus station. When i got off, I was lost, and as all the windows on the buses were iced up, unsure as to what direction to take. I gussed and luckily saw a road sign for “gara”. I took the next bus in that direction and got off. Just a guess really in terms of distance, as the windows were ixed so you could not look out to see if you had the right stop. Anyway I did, but was now heading to 10am.

Its a large but unimpressive station. its dark, ugly and dirty but Brasov station has a Wasteels office (open 08:00 – 18:00, 09:00 – 12:00 Sat, closed Sun), where you can buy tickets for onward travel to Budapest and beyond. The ticket kiosks only sold tickets to Su one hour before departure but i wanted to sort it out. The Wasteels office will sell tickets without commission. The cost was 371,000 (37.10). The train leaves at 23.09 and arrives in Suceava at 7.14am the next day. A duration of 8.05 hours over a distance of 457km.

Once that was sorted, I had the whole day for my destinations. I took the number 23 bus from the train station ( I think the 12 goes there from the hostel square) to Autogara 2. The problem is, its not on the road. I was looking out through ice tyring to figure out if a building looked like a bus station. It should have been quite busy. I just stayed on until I found something that looked like a bus station. I found a ticket counter (empty) that said “Moiecu Bran” but it was closed. I sippose it runs dedicated tours during the high season. I spend 20 minutes asking around and I was fedup. No luck. I walked to the other side of the road, purchased a ticket in order to head back to the train station. and then, there it was (on the left at a roundabout). I walked in and there wasa bus just about to leave for rasnov. I paid 25,000 lei I think and off we went.

I expected Cetatea Risnov to be closed. It said so in the guidebook 🙂 but it was open. Once I got off the bus, there was a road sign for the castle. I should have gone into town wheres steps from the town centre to the castle. Still, the place was frozen with snow and ice and walking up steps (what steps) may not have been such a good idea.The only thing I was worried about was there were no footsteps on the snow. Either the snow fell last night or I was the only person to visit this castle in a few days.

It was a lonely 3/4 km on a large road with forest on either side. I spotted a roaming dog, which always makes me swat. About 3km in, there is a path (unseen because of the snow) that leads you by foot through the forest to the castle. It was cold and desolate but after a while I could see the castle through the trees.

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

The Rasnov Fortress, built on a calcareous rock, is located 15 km SW from Brasov. It is an old peasant fortress, unique for its style and position. Its first documentary attestation dates back from the year 1331. However, the historians are not very sure about the date it was built. Inside the fortress there is a well 143 m deep.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Shot of the town from Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Town – a very quaint, rural town.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Cetatea (Fortress) Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Rasnov Fortress – a very authentic medieval fortress, less known and visited than Bran Castle, but some say is much better than the famous castle.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Horses at Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Most of the farming here is based on small holdings. Lots of horses and carts abound, alot carrying sillage.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Horses at Risnov (Rasnov), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Most of the farming here is based on small holdings. Lots of horses and carts abound, alot carrying sillage.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

I walked in and around and a lady popped out of nowhere with a ticket book. It was a steep 90,000 lei in. It said on the back “Discover the greatest of all rural fortresses from the south and south eastern Transilvania, which served for the defending of the inhabitants from Tara Barsei several centuries.”

Anyway after about an hour there I decided to take the shortcut back from the hill to te town. It was covered with snow and tere were only railways on about 50% of the path and steps that were buried under snow. I was a bit nervous going back down the steep hill guessing where the path was. A few skips and slides and I was happy to get back down. I went back to where I got off the bus hoping to get a bus to Bran to see Castle Bran. I was there 20 minutes and I wondered whether I was doing the right thing. There wasnt even a bus stop so I had no idea if the bus would pass here. i asked a few people and after some misunderstanding, a nice lady brought me back out to the main road bypassing te towna nd told me to wait at a certain stop. After a while more people appeared. I was waiting for around 20 minutes in the freezing cold until a packed bus arrived. I think I paid about 20,000 Lei. The problem was, Bran was just a stop on the way and the windows were all iced up. I thought maybe a 20 minutes journey bus it was a btlonger. I felt sure I would miss it, as Bran is supposed to be just a few shops and not a town of any substance. Anyway, I saw a Bran Carpark sign and jumped off. From reading about Bran Castle and talking to other backpackers, the interior of the Casle is meant to be quite bland and not worth the price of admission. Anyway, the place was closed to day so i just took a few exterior shots. Check the museum official website www.brancastlemuseum.ro

This fortified medieval castle, often referred as Dracula’s Castle (just a legend !) was built in 1377 to protect nearby Brasov from invaders; it also served as a customs house. The castle’s rooms and towers surround an inner courtyard. Some rooms are connected through underground passages to the inner court. In 1920, the people of Brasov who owned the castle offered it as a gift to Queen Maria of Romania. Nowadays, the Bran Castle is a museum of history and feudal art, opened Tue-Sun from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Bran Castle houses a rich collection of Romanian and foreign furniture and art items from the 14th-19th centuries. The castle sits high atop a 60 m. tall rock overlooking the picturesque village of Bran. On the grounds below there is an open-air ethnographic museum of old village buildings with exhibits of furniture, household objects and costumes.

Directions: Village of Bran, 25 km. southwest of Brasov.

Bran Castle, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Bran Castle – the most visited place in the area and probably in the entire Romania – especially by foreign travelers . The Bran Museum includes three distinctive sections. The Bran Castle, Bran Village Museum, and the old Bran customs.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Bran Castle, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 23rd of January 2006

Bran Castle – the most visited place in the area and probably in the entire Romania – especially by foreign travelers . The Bran Museum includes three distinctive sections. The Bran Castle, Bran Village Museum, and the old Bran customs.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

May 2006 As a postscript Romania has given back Dracula’s castle to owners. More than 60 years after it was seized by communists, the Romanian government plans to hand back one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, the fabled Dracula Castle, to its former owner, the culture minister said Tuesday. Bran Castle, better known as the fabled Dracula Castle, will be handed back to its former owner. Bran Castle, better known as the fabled Dracula Castle, will be handed back to its former owner.

The castle, worth an estimated $25 million, was owned by the late Queen Marie and bequeathed to her daughter Princess Ileana in 1938. It was confiscated by communists in 1948 and fell into disrepair. It will be transferred on Friday to Dominic van Hapsburg, a New York architect who inherited the castle from Princess Ileana decades after the communists seized it, minister Adrian Iorgulescu told a news conference.

Van Hapsburg is a descendant of the Hapsburg dynasty which ruled Romania for a period starting in the late 17th century.

I was only there 20 minutes and then started waiting for a bus abck to Brasov which was another 20 minutes. Once I got back to central Brasov, I had to take one bus to the town centre and another back to the hostel.

A few things about Brasov:– You can get a hot coffee at the majority of kiosks from between 8,000-12,000 lei. I am not a big chocolate fan, but warm chocolate in this weather was great.– The amount of stray dogs. Everyone seems to keep large guard dogs here. Every house you pass, a great big vicious bastard of a dog jumps out. Do they thing all their neighbours/countrymen are thieves or are they all dog lovers.– The international clientele here. Lots of winter sports participants from around the world from the States, to germans, austrians etc. its cheaper here.

I left the hostel around 10.00am. The only staff member there was a beared young Romanian guy who spole just American slang. He also worked in the excnge office at the train station. He was a big “lost” fan whose episode 1, second season had just started on TV. He went to great lengths to tell me the great dangers of Roma and theives on the train and to make sure I didnt fall asleep. Fucker!

Anyway, I took a dark, cold bus to the station (15 minutes). It was bitter cold and the train arrived around 10.45pm. A second class train, no sleeping carriages. It smelt of piss. My assigned carriage had no heating. Beside me, were about 8 drunk guys who were roaring and screaming for no apparent reason, only to out do each other in noise. Only one comparnet in each carriage had heat, so everyone crowded into them. i didnt feel sociable on a night time train journey, i had to stay awake on so I stayed in my cold comparment. Every few minutes, I used to get visited by a passenger (i was getting paranoid) but once they realeasised there was no heat, they left.

I arrived in Brasov at 11.08am and was hassled by a few crazies at the station. Lots of people with skis and ski gear abouded. Alot of snow fell over the past few days and whose involved in winter sports were taking advantage. I tried to buy a ticket to Suceava for tomorrow night but they said you can only buy ticket one hour prior to departure.

I purchased a one way bus ticket (10,000) and went from there one way to square “Piata Unirii” which is the last stop using bus NO.4. It takes about 15-20 minutes. There are alot of warnings out there (internet, fellow travellers) regarding pickpockets on this bus. It takes about 15 minutes (end stop) to get to the square. It was a simple two minute walk to the hostel. The Rolling Stone Hostel is also nearby.

I was staying at the Kismet Dao hostel (korean owned). Says it the only legal hostel in town and provides every night – a free beer, free laundry, 1 hour of internet, clean bedding, baggage storage and tourist information. Its in the historic Schei district.

A pack of Dogs were fenced in next to the hostel which is in a residential area but no worry (althought the hostel owners and neightbours do not get on). Incredible good looking articulate girl at reception. The room was basic and quite full. No lock, lockers. No other travellers there. It has a TV room and you can borrow DVD’s. It was 10 Euro which included a free beer and a hours Internet at a narby Internet cafe. I headed straight out and hit the main sights – which is city as its an walled old town flanked by mountains (you cant really get lost).

I visited the main square which was nice. I walked around the old walls, visited fortifications on both sides of the mountains and walked to the cable car which took me up the mountaina nd abck for 60,000 lei. You can also walk up there but its a hard slog in the snow. Maybe next time. i usually like walking but not this time. There were fine views to be had from there. You can see the outline of the old town which was good.

Piata Sfatului & History Museum. Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Brasov’s showpiece Council Square, known to the Saxon population as the Marktplatz, is one of the most beautiful pedestrianised main squares of Romania. The square was refurbished in 1988. All around the square are sturdy houses with high lofts for storing goods. In the middle of the square is the old city hall, dating from 1420, and now home to Brasov’s History Museum (open 10:00 – 18:00, closed Mon). The tower is in fact much older, and was once a watchtower for approaching barbarians before being incorporated into the main building. What you see today is largely the result of an 81-year renovation after the great fire of 1689.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

The Black Church ((Biserica Neagra), Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Brasov’s most important landmark, apparently the largest church between Vienna and Istanbul, towers over Piata Sfatului and the old town. The Black Church has a turbulent history: built between 1385 and 1477 on the site of an earlier church (destroyed by Mongol invasions in 1242), the construction of the Marienkirche was hampered by extensive damage caused by Turkish raids in 1421. The church was given its new name after disaster stuck again in 1689, when the ‘Great Fire’ levelled most of the town, blackening the walls of the church. Restoration took almost 100 years. Of two towers planned, only one (65,6m high) was finished. The original Gothic interior has suffered under the restorations, and the lofty, light space you see nowadays is mostly Baroque. Humanist Johannes Honterus, whose 101-year-old statue can be seen next to the tower, became Stadtpfarrer (priest) a few years after bringing Lutheranism to Brasov in 1542. Listen to the impressive 4000-pipe organ dating from 1839 during the concerts held three times a week during summer (see entertainment, page 19). The church windows have recently been fit out with special UV-filtering glass to protect the 119 fabulous Anatolian carpets. The rugs were donated by German merchants in the the 17th and 18th century, thankful to have survived their shopping trips into the barbaric lands south and east of the Carpathians. The collection is the largest of its kind in Europe. Open 10:00 – 15:30. Closed Sun. Admission 30,000 lei; children, students 15,000.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Piata Sfatului taken from the Blck tower Fortifications, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Piata Sfatului taken from the Blck tower Fortifications, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Shot of a church walking towards the Schei district.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

One of the many old and colorful buildings in the old town.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

A cross and church on the north side of the old town heading towards the railway sation.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

A cross and church on the north side of the old town heading towards the railway sation.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Shot of main squae taken from Tampa Mountain, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Ascend Mount Tampa by cable car (going up to an altitude of 940m) or by walking up one of the paths twisting up the hill to soak up excellent views of mediaeval Brasov, the incredibly flat plain to the north and of course the Carpathians. In the 1950’s, when Brasov was named Orasul Stalin (Stalin City), trees were chopped down so that the name of the great dictator appeared on the hillside facing the old town. Nature has recovered from the shock, and the hillside is now a nature reservation. From the upper cable car station walk five minutes (not 15 as indicated) along the path to the rocky outcrop (the top, 955m high) for the best views of the old town. You’ll clearly be able to make out the different parts of Brasov: the German part of town has hundreds of red roofs crammed between straight streets surrounding Piata Sfatului, while the Romanian Schei district to the south (left) is a spaghetti of small streets, jumbled houses and cemeteries, petering out towards the hills. On the plain are the later additions to Brasov: the 18th and 19th century expansions and of course the flats and huge factories from the last 50 years.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Shot of The Black Church ((Biserica Neagra)) taken from Tampa Mountain, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

You can the massive size/scale of the Black Church ((Biserica Neagra)) in comparison to the rest of the old town in this picture taken from Tampa mountain.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Shot of a clock tower of the Black Church ((Biserica Neagra))

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Shot of a church walking towards the Schei district. I believe its called Parohia Groaveri.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Ever since the Saxon settlers arrived in the early 12th century, invading Mongols, Turks and others gave them a tough time, repeatedly destroying the old settlements of Bartholomä and Corona. When they had quite enough of it all, the Saxons set themselves to build fortifications around their town, first consisting of earthen walls and wooden barriers, later reinforced with stones. Most work was done between 1400 and 1650, when outer and inner walls were erected, together with massive defence towers and gates. This shot was taken near the the classicist Poarta Schei gate, built in 1827 and the White and Black towers, built in the 15th century to watch over and defend the town.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Nicolas Church, Schei district, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

You shouldn’t leave Brasov without a stroll through Schei, the district where for centuries Romanians were forced to live, as only Saxons could live within the city walls. Walk up Strada Prundului to Piata Unirii and the beautiful Str. Nicholas church and wander around the small curving streets that gradually slope upwards against the hill. Note the many different iron doorhandles and knockers adorning the pretty houses. Walk on to the southern end of Schei and you’ll end up on the gravel road to the impressive Salomon Rocks (Pietrele lui Salomon, one hours walk or bus N°19). This is where every spring thousands of Romanians gather for a massive picknick and sing-along, after having followed the traditional Junii-procession through town, celebrating the one day a year that Romanians were allowed to freely enter the Saxon town.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

St. Nicolas Church, Schei district, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

The church is right beside the hostel I stayed in….. Kismet dao and so the you need to take a bus to Saint Nicolas Church in Piata Unirii. Nice church. Very busy.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Built in a glaring Byzantine style, this church (or rather, the portal) sticks out between the subdued merchants’ houses on Piata Sfatului. The orthodox cathedral was built in 1896, and is worth entering for the frescoes and the impressive decorations. On Saturdays, brides and grooms wait in line outside to get married here (careful to avoid glancing at each other – bad luck) and it’s usually no problem if you wander in and have a look at the crowned newly weds walking around the altar three times while a choir sings Halleluja.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

Built in a glaring Byzantine style, this church (or rather, the portal) sticks out between the subdued merchants’ houses on Piata Sfatului. The orthodox cathedral was built in 1896, and is worth entering for the frescoes and the impressive decorations. On Saturdays, brides and grooms wait in line outside to get married here (careful to avoid glancing at each other – bad luck) and it’s usually no problem if you wander in and have a look at the crowned newly weds walking around the altar three times while a choir sings Halleluja.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

The Spires of catherines Gate, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

The fairy-tale Catherine gate (Poarta Ecaterina), built in 1559 and once the main entrance to medieval Kronstadt, is the only original city gate to have survived the times.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Medieval Alley, Brasov, Romania

Taken on the 22nd of January 2006

According to a plaque at the entrance to this strret, this street is one of the narrowest in europe.. at 1.32 metres wide and 83 metres in length exampling the town planning tendencies of old town Brasov.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Back at 6-pm and had dinner at a restaurant in the square for 220,000. It was a pretty posh restuarant but the food is quality. I also grabbed my free token ffrom the hostel for one free hour on net. Not much of an atmosphere at hostel.